Bhagwant Mann govt will collapse week after poll: Punjab ex-CM Charanjit Channi

Tribune News Service

Deepkamal Kaur

Jalandhar, April 16

On an aggressive mode on the very first day of his poll campaign in Jalandhar, Congress candidate and former Chief Minister Charanjit Channi said the Bhagwant Mann’s government was set to collapse just a week after the Lok Sabha poll result on June 4.

His 5-year plan

• I plan to make Jalandhar second capital of Punjab after Chandigarh
• Will spruce up Jalandhar on the lines of Kharar and Chamkaur Sahib
• Plan to set up a university and a PGI-like hospital in Jalandhar district
• Will strive to revive sports industry and infrastructure in the constituency

Channi got a rousing welcome at Congress Bhawan as he came here for the first time after getting Congress ticket. He began his speech saying, “I am neither an absconder from any party, nor a purchased one unlike other candidates. My party has fielded me here for your sewa. I am not new to Jalandhar. My ancestors lived here and I am just back to my roots.”

His immediate first attack was against both rivals - Sushil Rinku, sitting MP, who quit AAP to become the BJP candidate, and Pawan Tinu, ex-Akali MLA, who is now AAP candidate.

“AAP called Rinku a traitor when he left party. Should Tinu also not be dubbed as a traitor now? I have seen the respect that the Akali Dal gave to Tinu. He got everything from the party that he deserved. Even Rinku was given due regard in the Congress and even in AAP. I do not understand their compulsions of shifting to new parties. If they could not be loyal to their parties, how shall they be true to you?” he asked the gathering.

Channi said, “I have come with a five-year development plan for Jalandhar. I will strive to make Jalandhar the second capital of Punjab, after Chandigarh. I will spruce it up just as I did Kharar and Chamkaur Sahib. I have plans to set up a university and a PGI-like hospital in Jalandhar. The sports industry here will also see a boom.”

He again attacked the AAP government, saying, “Jhaduwale have failed to even maintain cleanliness in the city. What else can be expected out of them? They only know how to pester leaders through their agencies. The Vigilance Bureau has been after me for the past two years, but could not find anything.”

While in the Dalit heartland, Channi also raised issues related to the SCs. “I gave a grant of Rs 25 crore to Dera Sachkhand Ballan for setting up a research centre, but this government has not been able to make any use of it. The SC scholarship scheme is not being used properly. The government has also failed to given appoint a Dalit leader as the Deputy CM in two years,”he said.

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